


Time, eventually, catches up with all of us

by brie_cheese



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Food Truck, Im tired, M/M, Minor Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Not Beta Read, Post S4, Slice of Life, avoiding authorities, no spoilers for s4 except food truck, self indulgent, theyre in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28903476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brie_cheese/pseuds/brie_cheese
Summary: It had been over two years since Jean-Paul and him eloped from what they used to think was their forever home at VILE. Antonio had never been less and more certain of anything in those weeks following their escape. Most certain that they had made the right choice and completely uncertain of where that choice might lead them.Eventually, it led them to a quaint tourist town off the coast of Spain.
Relationships: Le Chèvre | Jean Paul/El Topo | Antonio
Comments: 4
Kudos: 91





	Time, eventually, catches up with all of us

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone,  
> this is the first time I've written basically anything since middle school sooo if you have any critiques I'd love to hear them.  
> Cannot believe that this is the ship that pushed me out of the woodwork but here we are!!

Time, eventually, catches up with all of us.

It had been over two years since Jean-Paul and him eloped from what they used to think was their forever home at VILE. Antonio had never been less and more certain of anything in those weeks following their escape. Most certain that they had made the right choice and completely uncertain of where that choice might lead them. 

Eventually, it led them to a quaint tourist town off the coast of Spain. Neither of them had the right qualifications for, well, practically anything but after one of the last few criminal deeds they would commit in their lifetime, there it had stood before them. A colorful little food truck and a license to run a business. 

Eventually you get used to everything, really. No matter how impossible it may seem at first, eventually you might find home in the struggle you once endured. This was their little home now, just the two of them, a truck, and a little apartment not far from the beach. Two years they had worked for this and finally, finally Antonio could wake up in the morning, smile at Jean-Paul’s grumpy attitude and not dread the uncertainty that lay before them that day. 

The two of them had even thought about adopting a cat. Jean-Paul had been against it at first, complaining about the hair getting everywhere, how they would have to cut into their finances, how animals seemingly always avoided the bean pole of a man. But the local shelter and Antonio came through. He had begged and reasoned and looked through the listings on the website almost daily, cuddling up to Jean-Paul after their well-deserved after work dinner and bombarding him with the cutest pictures he could find. And after a few visits even Jean-Paul could not resist the charm-machine that was Mr. Pickles the Orange Cat. 

They met the blind, 3-year-old boy in one of the free roaming rooms the shelter had to offer on their second visit and, to Jean-Paul’s initial despair, planted his orange butt onto the tall man, refusing to leave for half an hour straight. It was practically decided right then and there, but they had to undergo some screenings and plan around their tight budget before they could let the orange bean into their life. 

Finally, both of them had equal cat fever with Jean-Paul constantly tracking their living expenses and truck income to see how they could sustain the little boy, even going as far as muttering new pet names to himself while helping Antonio prep food for their upcoming day. “Pickie” seemed to be a fan favorite, followed closely by “Garfield The Second” and “Probably a lil Rascal”.  
Antonio genuinely loved seeing him like this. The excitement would seep into him humming in the morning and being a little sappier in the evening as they watched TV. Jean-Paul’s love language had never really been words, Antonio was certainly the talkative one between the two of them, but he caught the taller man sneak pet names and small loving notes in their daily squabbles more and more as time went on. 

When they finally received a confirmation E-Mail, letting them know that they had been approved to take Mr. Pickles hope in exactly 4 days, a warm summer storm hit the roof of their quaint apartment. Jean-Paul, mister I’ll-leave-MY-email-not-because-I-care-or-anything, practically stormed into their kitchen, scaring Antonio, who was handling a large knife and almost lost half his heart capacity at the fright. 

“He’s coming home!! Pickie’s coming!!”, his beloved boyfriend yelled, and Antonio’s heart swelled, for many reasons (Jean-Paul’s smile was certainly one of them).   
“I’m glad we didn’t get all this cat stuff for nothin’ then!” Antonio placed down the knife and pushed aside the bell peppers he had been preparing to pull his partner into a deep hug. Jean-Paul smelled like food truck and cardboard boxes, what a guy. The latter was from assembling all the cat furniture, although Antonio was unsure if they had bought the cat tower or the cardboard boxes for Pickie. Perhaps it was a 2-in-1 special after all.

The rain hit hard against their window as Antonio closed the curtains to change into some more comfortable loungewear. Working at the food truck had delayed them today when he helped Jean-Paul fill out the orders for the suppliers after closing hours and he had not had a chance to change or relax between coming home and whipping up some food. They had both been starving and usually they would settle for the leftovers from the truck, but business has been booming and they almost ran out of everything. Antonio sighed in relief when he realized tomorrow was Tuesday, their day off, humming happily to himself when he joined Jean-Paul back in the living room. 

Before the two even had the chance to settle in though, there was a ring and a knock at the door. Antonio jolted at the unexpected sound while Jean-Paul rushed to turn off the lights and pull the curtains closed. He moved so seamless and effortlessly, as if not a day had past since they had graduated from VILE. It was hard to admit, but even after all this time it was impossible for them not to be on their toes no matter what happened. 

Antonio’s thoughts flashed back to them running and hiding and being utterly terrified for those first few months after ACME’s takeover of VILE. They were better now. Both more certain that they were hidden as well as mentally, but a visitor at this hour and in this weather was nothing Antonio could just ignore. He carefully made his way to the hallway to peep through the peephole of their main door.   
A woman, probably in her mid-twenties, carefully wiped her glasses clean from the rain drops that managed to hit her despite her large black umbrella. Her hair was shortly cropped, and she wore formal attire, nothing you would generally see in their little town. 

Antonio held his breath as he stole a look at Jean-Paul, who was standing tensely, preparing to strike, and visibly holding his breath.   
The woman rang once again, this time calling out as well. 

“I apologize for the late visit! I am Julia Argent; I do not wish you any harm. I understand your current position does not allow you to be overly trustworthy, but I am unarmed and not on the job. Carmen… Carmen Sandiego asked me to pay you a visit. She told me you’d be alright with me coming as her friend.”

The tension in the air was striking as the two men held their breath at every word the woman had said. They shot each other confused looks, Antonio’s expression softening at the mention of Carmen. He carefully approached the door, giving Jean-Paul a reassuring look, although the taller man still seemed highly skeptical. 

“I understand if you are still uncertain, but I assure y…ou…”, Julia began again, trying to convince the two of her intentions, but was interrupted by Antonio carefully turning the key and opening the door. Antonio greeted her with a lopsided smile, keeping his composure neutral. The woman seemed sweet and he knew Carmen was not in kahoots with the law enough to sell them out. Or, well, so he hoped.   
The lights were turned back on, lounge wear clothes were awkwardly adjusted, and Julia was offered a cup of tea. Jean-Paul had turned down tea at the first mention of it, but Antonio insisted on making one for his nerves anyway. The man looked like he was about to strangle someone, more than usual, and Antonio gently let his hand slide across his narrow shoulders to reassure him while setting the steaming cup down. 

“So… Julia, was it? How do you know about us… or well rather, what did Carmen tell you? What did she want?”, Antonio picked up the conversation where it had one-sidedly left off.   
“Well, she mentioned you two once or twice, something about visiting you eventually. She has been travelling so much lately, you know her… I think?”, Julia’s confidence in her words faded as we went on, clearly uncertain of their actual relationship to the woman in red.

“I have also seen you before… through my work. When we first exposed VILE, we received a list of intel on their operatives and--“  
Before she could finish, Jean-Paul suddenly rose from his seat, slamming his hands on the sofa table.  
“You’re here to jail us after all! We shouldn’t have let her in, I knew this was bullshit!”

“Hey- hey, my sweet I just- let her finish. I think she’s going somewhere”, Antonio has jumped in his seat at Jean-Paul’s outbreak, clearly still on edge from the odd circumstances, but that didn’t stop him from quickly consoling his partner. He saw some of the fear in Julia’s eyes when she was threatened. But he saw more than that, a kind of determination that only a seasoned operative would have. She was certain in her motives and Antonio stared at her in curiosity as he carefully pushed Jean-Paul back into his seat.

“I apologize… do go on?”, he gestured to the woman sitting opposite of them, who had taken the opportunity to sip some of her tea before Jean-Paul inevitably would spill it with another bang on the table. 

“No, I am sorry as well. The truth is, I came here mostly on my own accord. You see… ACME has been hunting down operatives for a good year after VILES takedown but the past months the pool has dried up. They are uncertain if half of the operatives are even still alive but… my guess was right; it seems you all are just naturals at hiding.”

Her eyes gently passed over the two men before her, having made a life for themselves, an honest life and now ACME wanted to charge them for the past. 

“I think… eventually it is time to give people a second chance. Did you know that most crime has an expiry date? In some countries, murder charges can expire after just ten years, if they find you guilty after that, you cannot be charged. Not- I’m not insinuating that you’ve committed such acts”, Julia stammered the last part when Jean-Paul shot a look at her that almost made HER his first charge of murder.

“I just wanted to tell you that I think I’ve hit a dead end here. I couldn’t find you in this town and we don’t have any other leads as to your whereabouts. I might recommend Carmen a food truck when I return home though”, she sighed softly, her words felt rehearsed and pointed, as if she had been reading off a script the entire time. 

“That is all I wanted to say… oh and Carmen sends her regards of course. She says, she is very happy for the two of you.”  
Antonio started at her in disbelief to the point that Julia had to awkwardly cough to make him snap out of it. 

“So… what? Are we… a blank slate now? Finally? Did we do it?”, he could barely contain the excitement in his voice. If what the lady had been saying was true… maybe they could finally live together like normal, boring, basic people. 

“I would maybe keep a low cover still, for a little longer. But… I can’t say we had many files on you to begin with. I think the universe would like you to have a second chance after all.”  
Jean-Paul had a sneer of disbelief on his face but even he softened when he saw the bright smile that Antonio gave him. What was he supposed to do against that, NOT smile back? Impossible, even for the stone-cold goat himself. 

“And we can believe you because…?”, he muttered, still on the edge about this news. Surely there had to be a catch there somewhere.   
“Because Carmen sends her regards”, Julia smiled, amused, “And because I am glad you two managed to turn your life around. Not everyone had or even took this kind of chance. You… you seem happy here. Keep it like that.” 

Thunder struck outside and the trees rummaged loudly in the heavy wind. Antonio offered Julia a spot on the sofa to stay the night, after all no one could feasibly drive in this storm, but she politely turned it out. Something about the lady in red waiting for her.

Antonio was still concerned when he watched the headlights of her car disappear into the night through their kitchen window. The rain was falling heavy and rhythmically, lulling the man to sleep as he watched the trees flail outside and Jean-Paul wash the dishes inside. 

“Do you think she was being sincere”, the taller man voiced his concerns carefully, not wanting to upset Antonio’s hope. But hell, he had to be realistic here. It just seemed to good to be true.   
“I think so. I liked her… Plus I think we have made our peace with Carmen at this point. Y’know, the mountain thing and all. She helped us settle in the first place if I like to admit it or not. Maybe she really was just checking in?”

Antonio stepped away from the window and leaned against Jean-Paul’s back, hugging him from behind as the taller man toweled off the dishes and sorted them into their cabinet.   
“I guess time was going to catch up with us eventually, huh? Maybe now we truly can stop running.”

Antonio nodded smiling at the idea of truly, finally settling down with Jean-Paul. Even if for just a few more years. Maybe this was the best housewarming gift for Pickie they could have received. An invitation to finally be a couple of normal people. 

Just two partners and their funny orange cat.


End file.
